5 replies to this topic

[22000]

Whenever appropriate, equipment or devices used for monitoring production or service operations are calibrated prior to usage.

What equipments shoudl always be calibrated prior to use and how?

[tsmith7858]

Whenever appropriate, equipment or devices used for monitoring production or service operations are calibrated prior to usage.

What equipments shoudl always be calibrated prior to use and how?

From the stand point of ISO 22000 it is refering to anything that is used to monitor a CCP, OPRP or PRP. Thermometers or temperature gauges are one of the most common whether cooking, storing or freezing food products.

Most companies use outside services for calibrations but if you have a calibrated standard (like a thermometer that is scientifically validated) than you can do it yourself. Just determine when you think calibrations should be done (risk assessment), schedule them and do them.

[Ted S]

Part of a Good Laboratory Program (GLP) is to calibrate/verify each piece of Lab Test Equipment that is used to test production material each day at start up before use. For example, this could include Laboratory Scales, pH Meters, ATP Test Units, Refractometers, Salt Analyzers, etc.... Many pieces of equipment come with their own "Calibration Standard" that should be used for this purpose. The method for Calibration should be outlined in detail in the User Manual from the Manufacturer for each specific piece of equipment.

On the other hand, if a piece of equipment is Certified/Calibrated Annually by an outside company (Scales for example), they should still be "verified" each day by the Technician before being used by using a "Certified Weight". Thermometers used for measuring a CCP in production are typically calibrated "weekly" unless they have been dropped, etc.. (as this is acceptable by both the USDA/FDA in HACCP Plans).

In Production, all production scales that are used for "weighing" purposes should also be "verified" each day before use as well. If a scale is used on a packaging line to monitor weight control, it must be checked/verified (and documented) first each day before it is used for this purpose to make sure that is is operating correctly before production begins.

It is important to make a complete list of all Equipment/Devices that are used in a Manufacturing Operation and identify the frequency in which "Calibration" and "Verification" is to occur. This list would include not only the Laboratory Test Equipment but also Production Equipment such as Water & Liquid Ingredient Meters, Load Cells (for Kettles, Holding Tanks, etc...), and so on.

Thank you.

[Antores]

The best place to start in order to find what equipment needs to be calibrated prior to start and how, is the equipment manual. There may be instruments that shall be calibrated every time before using, while other will more commonly recommend monthly or even yearly calibration.

The second place is your risk assessment or HACCP plan. The question is how critical is for your operation that the measuring or data that you are getting for your equipment is accurate, how accurate needs to be and what could happen if is not? Is not the same a thermometer in a display shelf than a thermometer is a Pasteurization process...

[AS NUR]

agreed with all.. just add you should think about scheduling, choose the right calibrator, both external or internal, record it and just my opinion you have to prepare acceptance level of your uncertainty result ( calibration result) for your equipment


rgds

AS Nur

[22000]

Thanks to all for input. It helps me a lot.